Dry fire training—repeated drawing, aiming and firing without ammunition—is a practical, convenient way to improve and/or maintain shooting techniques. The practice is limited, however, by the fact that the bullet impact point is a mere assumption; thus the trainees and/or trainers are limited in their ability to evaluate the trainees performance or/and improve their skills. Furthermore, there has long existed the need for an apparatus and system whereby a single or multiple user, or trainer and trainee can readily practice using a firearm without placing themselves or others at risk of accidental discharge of the firearm while still maintaining the ability to recognize the “hits.” This safety imperative coincides with an added desire to limit the financial burden related to the wear and tear on a firearm, including cost of ammunition and use of adequate facilities brought about by live fire training. In addition, in order to overcome the location restraints required for live fire training and enable an effective training alternative, to conducting a training session in any desired location, such as a private residence.
These considerations have proven to be especially relevant to law-enforcement and military personnel, who require a high degree of firearm practice and proficiency. In such situations, “Force on Force” drills pose a heightened risk to users, as the muzzle of firearm points toward other users, increasing the likelihood of accidental and potentially fatal discharge. It is well documented that Training Officers (TOs) have been injured or fatally wounded due to several loading/unloading procedures, such that a live round reaches the chamber of a firearm without the fellow officer being able to discern that he is facing a loaded weapon.
In addition, the traditional means of seeking to recognize marksmanship technique errors and resolve them during firearm training, whereby a user at a shooting range fires live ammunition at a target with or without the guidance of an instructor, has proven to have several significant drawbacks. During live fire, it is extremely difficult to identify many of the various marksmanship technique errors related to how the shooter handles the firearm prior to and while pulling the trigger. For example, it requires a well-trained instructor to identify a shooter that is surprised or frightened by the recoil of a handgun or rifle, leading to the shooter to develop a habit known as “flinching,” in an attempt to counter the anticipated recoil. This is detrimental to the correct posture and follow-through of the most critical phase of the shot. Furthermore, when the recoil is eliminated, any other errors in marksmanship technique are easier to identify and correct. Another drawback is the general inconveniences of accessing the shooting range. The more prevalent of these drawbacks include the above-mentioned risk of accidental discharge of firearms (by the user or others at the shooting range), but also may increase the stress level of the trainee due to the dangers of proximity to live fire training, and to the physical nature of shooting, i.e., sound and movement.
Accordingly, a need exists for an alternative to traditional firearm training which addresses these concerns and maintains the overall benefit of live fire training.